13th February - Hayling Island, Hampshire

There has been a Snow Bunting at East Head on the Selsey Peninsula for quite a while but in the last few weeks one has been appearing at Black Point on Hayling Island.  It was reported yesterday while I was watching Bittern and Otter, so I decided to go this morning to try and catch up with it

Leaving Four Marks it was quite thick fog and this did not clear until coming down from Butser Hill on the A3.  I made my way to the Sandy Point area and then walked around the promenade.  The tide was falling but the sea was quite rough with quite a large swell.  Cormorants were perched on the groyne markers, with waves breaking behind them.

On the water just offshore was an immature Shag.

The Snow Bunting had been present along the causeway that leads from the Lifeboat station to the Sailing Club.  I walked the area but could find anything other than two Linnets amongst the grass on the dunes on each side of the path.

It seems the Snow Bunting commutes across the channel to the East Head Area in West Sussex.  It also seems it does this in the afternoon.  Yesterday it was seen flying back.  Nevertheless I decided to walk around Black Point, the tide now well out and it was possible to walk the beach.

Coming around the point there were two Sanderling on the tide line and I couldn't resist them.

A dog came close but the Sanderling didn't seem concerned and stood their ground.

Scampering away along the tide line.

Finally managing to catch one with both legs off the beach.

I just waited and they came towards me.

Walking back around the beach the waves were impressive out in the channel.

Brent Geese flying across the channel

I stood around and waited but there wasn't any show.  There was a distant Great Northern Diver in the channel, too far for the camera.

With rain coming I decided to walk back to the car and drive around to Northney.  The Cattle Egret that have been found at Warblington have moved away.  This is due to the lack of cattle at Warblington and a large herd at Northney Farm.  I parked in the tea room car park and watched as Mediterranean Gulls called and flew over and they a flock of Cattle Egrets.

Seven at first.

The flock increased with thirteen.  There have been reports of over fifty!

I went back to Black Point and did another circuit out on the water there were five distant Great Northern Divers and four Slavonian Grebes.  However this was an afternoon that the Snow Bunting decided not to commute across the water.  Never mind, there may still be time to get it another day.